Interior of British North America. 79 



in his published list referred to at the beginning of this paper, 

 records both the common one and tee striped-crowned variety 

 on the Mackenzie. 



69. Spizella pallida. 



The Clay-coloured Bunting attracted my attention first on the 

 21st of May, at Fort Carlton, by its peculiar note, which resem- 

 bles, as much as anything I know, a sharp edition of the buzzing 

 made by a fly in a paper box, such as boys confine them in for 

 amusement ; or I may also liken it to a very faint imitation of the 

 sound of awatchman^s rattle. This it utters when perched on some 

 young tree or bush, sometimes only once, but at others as many 

 as four times in quick succession. The eggs, found by M. Bour- 

 geau {' Ibis,' vol. iv. p. 7) in a nest in a Snow-berry bush two 

 feet from the ground, were four in number, of a greenish blue, 

 speckled at the large end with brown. This bird is noticed in 

 the 'Fauna Bor. -Am.,' but nothing concerning its range; Mr. 

 Ross also found it on Great Slave Lake. It does not appear to 

 inhabit the eastern part of the continent. 



70. Melospiza melodia. 



Several specimens of the Song- Sparrow were shot at Fort 

 Carlton ('Ibis,' vol. iv. p. 7). First seen on the 21st of April. 



71. Melospiza lincolnii. (See 'Ibis,' vol. iv. p. 7.) 

 Also obtained at Fort Carlton, and by Mr. Boss on the 



Mackenzie. 



Melospiza palustris. 



Rare at Great Slave Lake (Bernard Ross). 



Passerella iliaca. 



The ' Fauna Bor.-Am.,' as well as Mr. Ross, notes the Fox- 

 coloured Sparrow as breeding in the wooded districts of the fur- 

 countries, up to 68° N. I observed it (for it was a bird I knew 

 well in Nova Scotia) between Hudson's Bay and Lake Wini- 

 peg in September, and on the Saskatchawan north branch in 

 October. 



72. Guiraca ludoviciana. 



Besides my specimen ('Ibis,' vol. iv. p. 7), the 'Fauna Bor.- 

 Am.' records the Rose-breasted Grosbeak from near the Saskat- 



